all it took was a misread of a sign to get lost in New York, at least for Riff. give him some slack it was blazing hot with no way to cool down, his brain might as well have been a melted ice cream on the sidewalk. hell the only reason he was thinking straight was because he was in a very shaded alley.

of course the entire thinking straight thing was kind of a curse because he was now just realizing how dangerous his situation was, from not knowing what territory he was in to not recognizing any of the stores or stands. Riff was starting to internally lose his shit, with not having any of his jets around and not even having some form of weapon on him he was beyond vulnerable to any goons or gangs wanting a taste of blood.

Not only that but there was also the added worry of possibly being in the sharks territory, which was an entire different thing on his own.

The rumble had happened only a week ago, Riff still remembered the smell of the dirty sea water and shit. the jets and sharks facing eachother like walls, bloodlust corsing through their veins. Ice and Bernardo both walked up to face eachother, fists at the ready when Tony came barging in the scene.

"STOP!" Tony stood in the middle of the two teenagers.

"Oh, so the big guy finally decided to stop playing chicken and fight his own battles eh?" Bernardo stepped towards Tony, annoyance dripping from his voice.

"No, there will be no fight-" Tony got cut off by a blow to the face by Bernardo, making him studer back with a bloody nose. next thing Tony know he was in an arm brace by to of Bernardos fellow sharks.

"hold him their, I shall deal with him when I am done here." he turned back around to fight ice but was met with a fist just nearly missing his face.

"You don't fuck with my friend and get away with it!" Riff pulled his knife out from his pocket, the blade gleamed in the light.

"Alright pretty boy, come on then." Bernardo pulled out his knife as well, but instead of just standing around he leapt at Riff, slashing his stomach. the cut wasn't so deep that he would bleed out but it bleed alot, and it hurt like bitch. Bernardo didnt cease his slashing, not until Riff was kneeling over in pain with blood soaked clothes.

Riff couldn't get up if he tried. His arms, legs, chest, thighs, hands and even his cheek had long cuts all over them. Of course Bernardo wasn't that much different, he just had less cuts ( around 5 of em ) and a bunch of bruises with the help of the jets.

"I will ask you this once, do you yield? because I assure you I can go all night." he squated down right in front of Riff, with the biggest smug grin on his face. Riff could fee l Bernardos ego rolling off of him.

Riff looked to his fellow sharks, a silent question if he should push foward. but to his surprise, his boys had looks of either fear or sadness which was all he needed to know.

"I yield, have the stupid streets. I never cared about em anyway." Roars of cheerful laughter rose from the sharks as they relished in their victory. Riff couldn't find it in himself to care as his head began to spin in circles, with his eye lids becoming heavy. if him passing out meant he wouldn't have to see the looks of disappoint meant from his jets then it was fine by him.

"Riff!" At some point, those shark goons had let go of Tony, with being too caught up in the glory of the battles end results. Riff felt arms rap around him, somehow the show of comfort had managed to keep him awake long enough for Bernardo to make a statement.

"Alrighty, before we clear out I'd like to make small announcement..." Everyones eyes turned to look at Bernardo, anticipation in the air "I've decided that from the jet's leader's fight to recruit him into the sharks."

The jets almost threw themselves onto Bernardo at this, him take their leader? when he had already won all the land his stupid gang could ever want? Not happening. cries of protest rang from the jets

"You take Riff and you'll be six feet under!"

"who the hell do you think you are!?!?"

"Riff ain't ever leaving us, we won't let you take 'im without a fight!"

Bernardo ignored the yells of protest as he made his way over to Tony, who still had Riff rapped in his arms in a tight embrace. Tony couldn't help but strengthen his hold on the boy, Riff was his honorary brother and he wasn't gonna let some scumbag take him away.

Riff was somehow still awake, barely but he could make out what everyone was saying. If he could feel his arms he'd have had been hugging Tony back, hell if he felt his legs he'd probably already be far away from this stupid bridge.

"So American boy, what do you say?" Bernardo kept his smug smile from before.

"I...ain't eva' gonna...join yous' guys" it took Riffs last strands of energy just to muster those few words before his head feel limp against Tony's shoulder. his body going numb as the world faded to black.

"Riff?...RIFF!" Tony immiedietly went to check the boys pulse,...it was slow but still there. like he had fallen asleep.

"heh...sleep while you can Riff. I will get you, one way or the other." And with that the sharks all filled out from below the bridge, the talk of celebration could be heard for miles.

"don't worry Riff, we won't let em' take ya. we promise." and with that Tony lifted his sleeping brother onto his back before the jets filled out, the only thing on their mind is their failure.

That brought us back to present, with Riff leaning against a cool brick. his anxieties spiking with being vulnerable in the new environment. jesus had one of the sharks already seen him? was the whole gang on their way!?!? Would they kill him?

Before he could even head back out into the street, he heard the soft taps of feet behind him. like whoever was behind him was trying now to be heard.

"Bernardo if you here to finish me off please just get it over with!" he yelled out with all the courage he had, only to hear a feminine voice reply to him.

"whater' you talking about ya numbnut?" Oh thank god.

"Anybodys I swear to god you scare me like that again Imma pound you, girl or not." he turned around to see the ragged girl looking at him with confusion.

"forget about that, what the hell do you think you doing over here! do you want to be on sharks footsteps or somethin' " Anybody shoved him backwards, like she hasn't thrown a punch.

"The hell you talking about? This is shark territory!?!" he felt his fight or flight kick in, with his feet being pumped with adrenaline by the minute. he was like a deer in headlights, frozen in place but ready to jump at a moments notice.

"Bernardo literally lives right around the corner! what are you blind! how did you even get here!?!" Riff had a fun time explaining to Anybody that he had a minor heatstroak and ended up with a melted brain that couldn't even read signs right.

"What are you evening doing out here, ain't you supposed to be on bed rest?" The grimy girl got all up in his face, hands on

her hips.

"Yeah Cielito, aren't you supposed to be on bedrest?" that voice made Riff really feel like a dear in headlights